Intel Turbo Boost

Intel Turbo Boost

Intel Turbo boost is a feature in the more recent Intel i5 and i7 processors. This feature overclocks your processor in real time when your computer needs it. For example, when you are rendering a HD video, your Intel Turbo Boost overclocks your processor to get better performance. Once done, it returns to its base clock speed. Average non-computer geek users have mostly used this feature and most of them get benefited from this, without even knowing it. But geeks usually shoo away this feature as they would want to overclock their processor themselves and they don’t want this feature getting in their way. This new technology has been very helpful to consumers to get something more out of their computers. But this feature also has downsides to it that causes damages.

The Intel Turbo Boost feature is widely known for increasing your frame rates when playing video games and also giving you better performance when doing processor intensive work. The Intel Turbo Boost feature works like this, it has three different areas of clock speed. The first is the layer is the lowest clock speed. Intel Turbo Boost uses this clock speed when your computer is usually idle. This clock speed saves battery and also keeps the processor and the computer cooler. The second clock speed is the base clock speed. This clock speed is the actual clock speed your processor should be clocked to. This is also the clock speed your computer manufacturer should have mentioned when you bought your computer.  This clock speed is generally enabled when you are using your computer for regular tasks.  The next type of clock speed is the overclocked clock speed. This clock speed is enabled when you are running CPU intensive applications such as video rendering, and intensive gaming. This clock is speed usually stresses and heats up your processor and you will hear the fans spin up when you reach these clock speeds.

Although, this feature has been widely appreciated, this feature also has many downsides. The first is the reduction of battery life. When the processor speeds are increased, it uses more power to process more thus decreasing the battery life, this can be easily avoided by using a desktop. The second downside is overheating. Playing a video game that has a recommended system requirement that exceeds your processor speed will lead to the increasing of your clock speed by Intel Turbo Boost. If you intensively game for long hours, it could increase the processors temperature to an extent it could cause damage to itself and shutdown your computer. Although these downsides are dangerous, the Intel Turbo Boost is a very innovative feature and as new versions of this technology comes out, it gets smarter and reduces the risk of damaging your processor.

Written by: Hemanth Srinivasan

Edited by: Jason Tu